Psyche of the HR Solutions Buyer

Have you ever wondered what is actually going through your prospects’ heads as you look at their muted icons on the conference line or watch their eyes move across multiple places on the screen as you present to them?

The article I wrote last week about why HR solutions providers are not closing deals in the US market got much more response than I initially anticipated. I’ve had a few follow-up conversations about what prospects really prefer during a sales engagement.

So, I wanted to share the other side of the story that Account Execs, Solution Consultants, and BDRs may not come across often in the HR solution purchases journey. This is from personal experience and conversations with other buyers in the market.

Let’s start from the beginning.

1. Getting Your Prospects’ Attention

I don’t know how else to say this, except I delete 50+ emails each morning from solution providers in my work inbox. I understand email campaigns are a numbers game. Still, I think providers also need to be aware that typically, once someone has graduated to a point in their careers when they own the purchase decisions, they also don’t have the time to read through all the emails from unknown parties each morning.

In addition, most of your serious buyers also know that cold emails are the worst way to get to know a solution provider and will look for a warm intro or to meet you at an event instead. If email campaigns are meant to generate awareness, I think there may be better ad placement avenues to achieve the same results.

Another perspective I’d like to share here is that make sure your BDRs (or the first point of contact the prospect has with your organization) are, at minimum, aware of the product you are looking to sell, 3-5 key benefits, and an excellent answer to the question “why you and not your competitors?” One of the most awkward experiences to go through as a customer is when I have 10-15 minutes in my day to engage in a conversation, start to ask questions, and suddenly, I’m told that the person I’m speaking with can’t answer the high-level questions I have. Now, I need to find additional time to schedule a meeting with someone else from their team.

This isn’t efficient. Remember how you last felt when you tried calling your bank and got routed to three different departments before someone told you that your paperwork was emailed to the wrong email address? That’s what it feels like from a prospect’s perspective when you pass them off to different parties in initial conversations.

2. Being Human While You Engage

I have learned over the years that it is relatively easy to tell when someone is portraying or representing something that is not entirely aligned with their beliefs/person. I understand that sometimes BDRs and AEs are handed a script or approach to present to the customers. My take on this one is to put your personal spin on things wherever possible.

You are a person engaging with another person. It just so happens that you represent a product or a brand in addition to you. Some of the best conversations I have had are when you can authentically engage with the representative, and it doesn’t feel fake or forced.

Now, I will be the first person to admit that I’m not for everyone. I think BDRs and AEs out there may also need to acknowledge that they may not be a perfect fit for every prospect or customer. So, in addition to encouraging folks to find prospects and customers who are a closer fit to their approach and person, I think it’s also worthwhile for businesses to think about how they assign AEs and BDRs to accounts. The regional approach may be the most logical from a business perspective, but is it the most effective from a customer/prospect engagement perspective?

3. Scheduling the Conversation

We are in 2024; please find a way for your customers to schedule meetings via an online calendar link. In full transparency, the part I dread the most in any sales process is when we play the game of Calendar Guessing. This is where I propose a time; the team can’t make that time work and asks me for alternatives; I provide the other options; they offer me alternatives to the alternatives, and on and on we go.

Typically, by the third exchange in the calendar game, I have given on the conversation and penciled the solution into my May-Be-Nice-Someday list.

From my perspective, the art of this part of the process is making sure that you are coming across as personable but also efficient when trying to pencil something into calendars.

Also, something to consider for your first meeting is to try to avoid month/quarter ends, Mondays (or the start of the week), and Wednesdays. Typically, month/quarter end is when many regularly scheduled HR activities occur. So, even if you manage to get on your prospects’ calendars, the chances of them rescheduling are usually high. Avoid Mondays because, unless you have their attention at 9 AM, Mondays are generally when the HR team’s plans can take a sudden left turn, depending on what gets put onto their plates. On Wednesdays, teams tend to lose momentum and are in survival mode for the typical week.

Ok, I will stop here today before I turn this into another essay-length read.